1- Introduction to the Genus Lecythis Loefl. - Cream nut genus

1.2- Genus Lecythis Loefl. - Cream nut+ OverviewLecythis is a genus of woody plant in the family Lecythidaceae of the order Ericales. It was first described as a genus in 1758. It is native to Central America and South America.Synonyms: 1- Bergena Adans. 2- Cercophora Miers 3- Chytroma Miers 4- Holopyxidium Ducke 5- Sapucaya R.Knuth 6- Pachylecythis Ledoux+ Uses Several species produce edible seeds and referred to by a variety of common names including paradise nut, monkey pot, cream nut, and sapucaia nut. Lecythis zabucajo is one perhaps the most important edible species, but the seeds of Lecythis ollaria and Lecythis pisonis are also used. The genus Lecythis is thought to concentrate the trace element Selenium in its seeds, which, while an essential part of a balanced diet in small quantities, selenoproteins being important antioxidantenzymes, may lead to poisoning if taken excessively.

3- The Important Species that have edible fruits or seeds

3.1- Species Lecythis pisonis - Brazil, Peru+ OverviewLecythis pisonis (cream nut or monkey pot) is a tropical tree in the Brazil nut family Lecythidaceae. It is known in its native tropical America as sapucaia or castanha-de-sapucaia. The fruit is shaped like a cooking pot and contains edible seeds.+ Description Lecythis pisonis is a large, deciduous, dome shaped-tree with a dense leafy crown. It grows to a height of about 30 metres (98 ft). The trunk has ascending branches and much fissured, greyish bark. The leaves are pink as they unfurl but become mid-green with dark speckles later. They are leathery, oblong-elliptic with prominent midribs and toothed margins. The flowers form in racemes on the ends of the twigs in September and October. They are purple (occasionally white) with six petals and a central boss of golden stamens and are attractive to bees. The fruits are globose or oblong, cinnamon-coloured and woody, being 6 to 15 cm (2.4 to 5.9 in) long and 8.5 to 30 cm (3.3 to 11.8 in) wide. They have a rough pericarp up to 3 cm (1.2 in) thick and a tight-fitting lid that bursts open when they mature. The seeds are red or brown, elliptical and up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long. They take 11 to 12 months to ripen.

+ Distribution Lecythis pisonis grows in the rainforest in eastern tropical America particularly in Brazil.+ Uses Lecythis pisonis is grown as an ornamental tree with new pink growth and purple flowers at certain times of year. The nuts are edible both raw and cooked. Research has shown that the lipid content is similar to that of corn oil but a high level of certain heavy metals might be toxic and may limit their use as food. They are also eaten by animals and the name "monkey pot" comes from the old proverb "a wise old monkey doesn't stick its hand into a pot". This refers to the fact that a young monkey may plunge its hand into the container and not be able to withdraw the fistful of nuts whereas an experienced individual will remove the nuts singly. Source: Lecythis pisonisCambess. - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3.2- Species Lecythis zabucajo - Colombia, Venezuela, Guianas, Ecuador, N Brazil+ OverviewLecythis zabucajo, sapucaia or paradise nut, is a large nut-producing tree occurring in the Guianas, Suriname, Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras and Brazil, and which distribution range is much the same as that of the greater spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus hastatus). Although not singling out Lecythis zabucajo, Jacques Huber noted in 1909 that fruit bats played the most important role in seed dispersal in Amazonian forests. The quality of its nuts led to the species' being introduced to numerous tropical countries, notably Trinidad, where it has flourished. The nuts are a valuable food resource and yield oil suitable for cooking and domestic use. Synonyms: 1- Lecythis crassinoda Miers 2- Lecythis davisii Sandwith 3- Lecythis davisii var. gracilipes Eyma 4- Lecythis hians A.C.Sm. 5- Lecythis lecomtei Pamp. 6- Lecythis tumefacta Miers 7- Lecythis validissima Miers

+ Characteristics This species is closely related to the Brazil nut, both belonging to the family Lecythidaceae and having coconut-sized fruits. The tree's large woody gourd-like fruits with edible white flesh are used for water vessels and for ornamental purposes. The fruit is called 'monkey pot', a name used for a number of other species, including Lecythis elliptica, Lecythis grandiflora, and Lecythis pisonis. The name is said to derive from baiting an empty fruit with food and fixing it to a low branch; a monkey can easily insert its paw through the opening, but cannot withdraw it once it has grasped the contents. The unusual shape and size of the pendant woody capsule, with its lid or operculum, is shared by other Lecythidaceae genera such as Couroupita, Bertholletia and Grias. The family is ecologically important in the Amazon Rainforest, and a 2006 survey sampling 277,069 trees, found it to be the third most abundant family, while Eschweilera is represented by more trees than any other genus. The nuts and arils are highly nutritious so that on maturing they are soon removed by animals. Bats, particularly Phyllostomus hastatus, play an important role in dispersal of the species as they eat the aril and have to remove the nut from the capsule in order to do so. The genus Lecythis is thought to concentrate the trace element Selenium in its seeds, which, while an essential part of a balanced diet in small quantities, selenoproteins being important antioxidantenzymes, may lead to poisoning if taken excessively. Source: Lecythis zabucajoAubl. - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia